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Behaviour/development

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Original poster

At what age did your child ditch their dummy? How did you do it?

40 replies

Plonker · 17/10/2009 17:18

Dd3 is 2.3 yo and is far more attached to her dummy than I would like

I'm trying to limit her time of having her dummy, but tbh she's not taking to it very well.

She knows dummies are for babies and will often give me hers declaring that she doesn't need it because she's a big girl, only to come for it 5 minutes later telling me actually she's still a baby and can she have her dummy back

I'm not concerned about her speech (it's excellent) and her pronunciation is good too, so that's not a problem. I'm worried about her teeth though as I know that dummys can affect the way her mouth forms, in fact I'm worried that the damage has already been done.

So, back to my title - at what age did your dc ditch their dummy, and how did you do it?

Have considered her giving them to Father Christmas but don't know if she's a little young for that?

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Trikken · 17/10/2009 17:22

about two and a half, we left it at his nana's, and he was fine when we told him this, he did ask a couple of times for it, but he completely forgot about it after a few days.

bodiddly · 17/10/2009 17:30

3 and a bit! Ds was attached but we limited it from a reasonably young age. He was only allowed it if he was in bed. I explained to him that big boys didn't have dummies but that it was his decision when he gave up. I told him that I would put his dummy next to him in his bed and that he should only use it if he felt he needed it. He liked the idea that he knew it was there ... and never looked back! It was a week before I even realised he hadn't used it!

CarGirl · 17/10/2009 17:34

my problem is that when we ditch the dummy she starts sucking her thumb! We gave her a dummy in the first place to stop her sucking her fingers arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

bodiddly · 17/10/2009 17:36

that's the problem with thumbs CarGirl! I have noted that if ds ever gets upset he sticks fingers in his mouth!

Pheebe · 17/10/2009 17:45

With ds1 we had to wait til he was 4.5 before he finally ditched it at night. We tried many many times before then and he was just so totally lost without it we felt it was cruel. By 4.5 we were able to reason and negotiate and support him better and in the end it took one restless night and that was that.

From about 2.5 we limited it to sleep times only (did it gradually so he still had access in the tired run up to sleep phase).

If it helps our dentist said that so long as its ditched no later than about 4-5 the mouth will mostly correct itself before they reach double figures.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 17/10/2009 17:47

DD was 4 god that sounds awful but she just decided one day that she didn't need it anymore.
She only ever had it at bedtime long before then though.
I put restrictions on it wuite young.
SHe could have it in the buggy but if she was walking she couldn't that included playing in the house unless she was tired or upset.
By the time she was 3 I don't think it ever left the house and it was only bedtime.

A friend of mine restricted her dd's use by telling her dd to put it on the bathroom window sill when she got up in the morning to do her teeth, the dummy fairy took it and left something (a sticker or something else small and appealing) in it's place and brought it back at bedtime.

It wasn't long before she could stop leaving something in it's place and it just became second nature to her dd to put it there and she eventually stopped looking for it at bedtime too.

CarGirl · 17/10/2009 18:07

we restricted them to bedtimes at a very young age which did help in a way.

Getting the 2 thumb suckers to stop is a nightmare, and I guess eventually it will be 3 thumbsuckers

AppleHEAD · 17/10/2009 20:37

My eldest dd had hers until she was three but only when she went to bed or had a nap during the day. Once she was awake I took it and hid it. My middle and smallest dd's suck their thumbs - which I have no control over and they do a lot.
At three I told dd1 that she had to give it up and she was happy to. I think the party, presents etc helped

MrsJiggle86 · 17/10/2009 20:41

My ds ditched his at 8 months, all on his own, my sil ditched hers at 6 years old, every child is different

StrawberriesandCherries · 17/10/2009 20:41

ds wasc 3 when he still had it but only for bed. It was the dentist telling him how it was bad for his teeth that made me more determind to get rid of it and he had listened to her and understood thankfully!

deaconblue · 17/10/2009 21:52

ds was 6 months, just stopped using it himself. Dd was 1 and we got sick of getting up in the night to give it back to her and did 1 night of cold turkey. No big deal have never looked back. I wouldn't let her have it for any time other than bedtime. Just say no.

spicybingowings · 17/10/2009 21:59

2.1 - we went completely cold turkey. Father Christmas wanted them and he would bring her lots of lovely presents in return for all of her dummies in October...It took 2 nights and it wasn't too bad at all.

jemart · 17/10/2009 21:59

My eldest dd had a dummy until the age of 3, then we basically made her go cold turkey (she had some warning beforehand) just gather them all up and chuck them. Keep one or two carefully hidden for dire emergency when child won't sleep.

slimeoncrazydemon · 17/10/2009 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

rileyjdw · 17/10/2009 22:09

Yes talked DS1 into leaving for santa at two and a half to give to little babies in return for much talked about toy - about 20 minutes of crying Christmas eve and felt like evil witch but just 10 minutes the next night and 5 the next - couldn't believe how easily he let it go! Then did same with DS2 aged one and a half last Christmas - bit harder as he didn't have the same understanding but also worked!

Ripeberry · 17/10/2009 22:12

Just wait until she is ready and just tell your DC "the fairies need the dummy for their babies", dummies are MUCH better than thumbs, I know some kids who still suck their thumbs at 7yrs old or even older

Clare123 · 17/10/2009 22:16

13 months. I stopped giving him it during the day, and then just stopped one nigh and he had a little moan, but really nothing.

Clare123 · 17/10/2009 22:18

13 months. I stopped giving him it during the day, and then just stopped one nigh and he had a little moan, but really nothing.

Tidey · 17/10/2009 22:19

Both of my DC had dummies when they were tiny and gave it up on their own. DS had his til he was about 6mo and then just didn't want it anymore. DD did the same at 4mo. No idea why, they seemed to find them really comforting at first and then just would spit them back out if they were offered.

RGPargy · 17/10/2009 22:20

Watching this thread with interest! DD is also hooked on her dummy, although i have to say that the last few days she has been fine without it all day, providing she doesn't see it of course!

Gingemeeeklookatthatspider · 17/10/2009 22:20

We are thinking of taking ds3 off him on his 3rd birthday, next Sat, but do you think he will associate his birthday with the day he had his dummy taken from him? He only uses it at bed and nap times . I like the idea of a dummy fairy or do you think I should just tell him he is too old for a dummy? None of my other boys used dummys or thumbs etc.

RGPargy · 17/10/2009 22:21

PS - I sucked my thumb til i was 15

RGPargy · 17/10/2009 22:24

Ginge - I doubt very much he will associate his birthday with the disappearance of his dummy! there will be far too many good presents memories to compensate.

Gingemeeeklookatthatspider · 17/10/2009 22:28

Yeah I guess. I'll give it a try and see how he goes.
Good luck Plonker

penona · 17/10/2009 22:35

Getting some ideas! Have 2.3 yo twins who have them to sleep, but often ask if at home in the afternoons when they are tired. Would love to ditch them (DH hates them!) and am debating a Christmas exchange. But do feel a bit mean taking away something that they love, that comforts them, that keeps them calm when they start to get tantrummy.

(A friend's DD - now age 11 - was looking through her 'baby box' a little while ago and saw her dummy, the last one given up at age 4, and was very excited and pleased to see it again. She recalled loving it, and being so comforted by it, she has asked to keep it on her shelf!!!!)

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